Folding door



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Nov. 17, 1959 Ol SCHESVOLD ETAL FOLDING DOOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 10, 1956 ,v lr) I) eLAA/.D S SCHES'VOLD, 30A/ALD JM. .BEESLQM United States Patent C FOLDING DO OR rland S. Schesvold and Donald M. Breslow, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Curtition Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 10, 1956, Serial No. 564,672

Claims.' (Cl. 160-84) movable toward and away from a vertical supporting structure, such as a door jamb, wall, or the like, at one end of the track. This folding structure is preferably similar to that disclosed in our Patent No. 2,717,033, granted September 6, 1955, and includes at least two generally horizontal, vertically spaced series of pivotally Y 2,913,045 Patented Nov. 17, 1959 vice 2 regularities in the construction of the building with which the door is to be used, which is an important feature of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical adjustment means of the foregoing nature comprising a vertical screw carried by the lead post and threadedly connected to the hinge element at the outer end of the lower hinge-element series. Another object in this connection ,is to provide a hollow lead post within which this vertical adjustment screw is located for concealment purposes, the lead post having an opening therein for access to the vertical adjustment screw.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a folding door frame wherein the pivotal connections between the two hinge-element series and the anchor and lead post are recessed into such posts. More particularly, an object in this connection is to provide interconnected hinge elements. Each series of hinge elel ed on the upper series of hinge elements, there preferably being one carrier on each intermediate hinge element of the upper series. g The foregoing framework of the folding structure is covered with sheets of llexible material on opposite sides thereof to provide a finished appearance, the entire folding structure being collapsible against the vertical supporting structure into a retracted position wherein the folds thereof are stacked one against the other.

An important object of the invention is to provide a folding door of the foregoing nature having adjustment means for adjusting the angle of the lead post with respect to the vertical to render the lead post substantially parallel to a door jamb, wall, or the like, adjacent'which the lead post is positioned when the folding structure of the door is in its extended position. With this construcanchor and lead posts having upper and lower recesses therein into which the end hinge element of the upper and lower hinge-element series extend into pivotal engagement with pivot pins carried by the posts within such recesses. With this construction, vthe end hinge velements of the two series may be folded up against the anchor and lead posts more closely to minimize the length of the folding structure of the door when such folding structure is in its collapsed or retracted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a channel-shaped anchor post which faces the door jamb, or other vertical supporting structure on which it is mounted, and which is adapted to snap over one or more channel-shaped spring clips mounted on and facing away from the door jamb. A related object is to provide the channel-shaped anchor post and the channel-shaped spring clips with interengaging longitudinal ribs which secure the anchor post to the spring clips in a positive manner.

Still another object in this connection is to provide a folding door wherein the flexible sheets covering the door framework are inserted between the armsof the channelshaped anchor post and the arms of the channel shaped spring clips. With this construction, the anchor post is secured in place by a completely concealed securing means, and the edges of the flexible sheets covering thek door framework are also concealed, these being important features of the invention.

- each of which includes an upper bracket carrying Wheels tion, the lead post will t up against a door jamb, for

example, with no gap at the top or bottom of the door, even if this door jamb, or an opposite door jamb to which the anchor post is secured, is not vertical, which is an important feature of the invention.

More particularly, an important object of the present series vertically relative to the lead post to move the lower end of the lead post inwardly or outwardly until the lead post is substantially parallel to a door jamb, or the like, adjacent which it is to be positioned. Consequently, the vertical adjustment means described permits adjusting ,the shape of the door to accommodate any irengageable with the overhead track, a lower bracket embracing and pivotally connected to the corresponding intermediate hinge element, and a swivel connection between the upper and lower brackets. With this construction, the carriers for the intermediate hinge elements of the upper hinge-element seriesl may swivel freely as the door is folded and extended, which is an important feature.

Another object of the invention isl to provide a track .f which includes a` downwardly. divergingcentral web having flanges extending transverselyfrom the lower edge thereof on opposite sides thereof, each ofthe carriers for the folding structure of the door including at least twoy l wheels respectively engaging and resting on these flanges.

The downward divergence'of the central web of the track centers the carriers on the track and keeps the Wheels thereof from rubbing against the sides of the central web to prevent chattering,.which is an important feature. n

A further object of the present invention is to provide one or more positioning clips on the track and havingarms engageable by outwardly extending tabs on the carrier at the upper end of the lead post to tix one or more positions of therdoor. A related object is to makethe spacing between the arms ofthe positioning clips greaterI ...il than the width of thecarriers on the intermediate hinge'A elements of the upper series so that such carriers may pass between the arms of the positioning clips freely.

Still another object is to provide a folding door having a latch on the lead post and having a smooth generally triangular, vertically oriented handle on the lead post adjacent the latch, the handle having a fixed portion and having a movable portion at one end thereof connected to the latch to operate same.

The foregoing objects, advantages, and features of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages and features thereof which will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of this disclosure, may be attained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which is described in detail hereinafter. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a folding door which embodies the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 3 3 and 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, and elevational view which is taken as indicated by the arrow 7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. S is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view which is taken as indicated by the arrowed line 8 8 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View which is taken along the arrowed line 9 9 of Fig. 8 of the drawings.

Referring primarily to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the folding door of the invention includes an overhead track 10 mounted on an overhead supporting structure 12, such as a header or ceiling, by means of screws, or the like, as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. At one end of the track 10 is la vertical supporting structure 14, which` may be a door jamb, wall, or the like, and which is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. At the other end of the track 10 is another vertical supporting structure 16, which may also be a door jamb, a Wall, or the like, and which is shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. Mounted on the vertical supporting structure 14 below the track 10 by means of screws, or the like, are channel-shaped anchor clips 18 performing a function to be described, one of these clips being visible in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. Referring to Fig. 8, suitably mounted on the opposite vertical supporting structure 16 and facing the vertical supporting structure 14 is a vertical sealing channel 20 carrying a latch plate, not shown.

Below the track 10 and between the anchor clips 18 and the sealing channel 20 is a folding door structure 22 which includes a channel-shaped anchor post 24 adapted to snap onto the anchor clips 18, and which includes a lead post 26 having thereon a vertical sealing strip 28 insertable into the sealing channel 20 and having thereon a latch 30 engageable with the latch plate carried by the sealing channel. Extending between and pivotally connected at their inner and outer ends to the anchor and lead posts 24 and 26, respectively, are generally horizontal, vertically spaced, upper and lower series 32 and 34 of pivotally interconnected hinge elements. While only two hinge-element series are shown, it will be understood that more than two may be used. The upper hingeelement series includes at the inner end thereof an end hinge element 36 pivotally connected to the anchor post 24 and includes at the outer end thereof an end hinge element 38 pivotally connected to the lead post 26. Between and pivotally connected to the end hinge elements 36 and 38 are pivotally interconnected intermediate hinge elements, two of which are shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and identified by the reference numerals 40 and 42, respectively. The lower hinge-element series 34 includes corresponding end and intermediate hinge elements pivotally connected to each other and to the anchor and lead posts 24 and 26 in a corresponding manner, one intermediate hinge element 44 of the lowerhinge-element series 34- and the end hinge element 46 at the outer end of the hinge-element series 34 being visible in the drawings. The pivotal interconnections between the various hinge elements of the two hinge-element series 32 and 34 are provided by vertical rods common to both hingeeement series as more fully described in the aforementioned patent, two such rods being visible in Fig. l of the drawings and being identified by the numerals 48 and Sil. The entire folding structure 22, including the anchor post 24, the lead post 26 and the two hinge-element series 32 and 34, is enclosed by sheets 52 and 54 of flexible material, such as fabric, fabric-backed plastic, or the like, the sheets 52 and 54 either being formed of a single piece of material, or two or more pieces. The lead post 26 is suspended from the track 10 by means of a wheeled carrier 56 pivotally connected thereto. Each of the intermediate hinge elements of the upper hinge-element series 32, such as the intermediate hinge element 40 and 42, is suspended from the track 10 by a swiveling wheeled carrier 58, only one of the carriers S8 being shown in the drawings. i

Considering the folding door of the invention now in more detail, the track 10 takes the form of an I-beam having a central web 60 which diverges downwardly, as best show-n in Fig. 5, adjacent the lower edge thereof for a purpose to be described. The central web 60 is provided along its upper edge with oppositely extending flanges 62 by means of which the track 10 may be screwed, or otherwise fastened, to a ceiling or header, the central web being provided along its lower edge with oppositely extending horizontal flanges 64 which form track surfaces for the carriers 56 and 58.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, the carrier 56 includes a U-shaped bracket 66 the arms of which embrace the track 10 and each arm of which carries two wheels 68 resting on one of the anges 64 of the track. The bracket 66 is provided with depending arms 70 which are inserted into the upper end of the lead post 26, the lead post being a square or rectangular channel, and which are pivotally connected to the lead post by a pin 72 which is parallel to the track l10 so that the lead post may swing in a direction transversely of the track to prevent damage in the event of the application of a lateral force to the lead post. The bracket 66 of the carrier S6 is also provided with laterally extending tabs or lugs 74 for a purpose to be described.

Each carrier 58 includes, as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, an upper U-shaped bracket 76 which faces upwardly and which embraces the track 10, the arms of the bracket 76 carrying wheels 78 which ride on the flanges 64 of the track. A vertical pivot pin 80 connects the base of the upper bracket 76 to the base of a downwardly facing, lower U-shaped bracket 82, this lower bracket having downwardly converging arms which receive one of the intermediate hinge elements of the upper hinge-element series 32, such as the hinge element 40, therebetween and which are pivotally connected thereto by a pivot pin 84. The pivot pin 80 provides a swivel connection between the upper and lower brackets 76 and 82 which permits the lower bracket to swivel freely relative to the upper bracket as the intermediate hinge element 4t) pivots relative to the adjacent hinge elements in response to opening and closing movement of the folding door structure 22, the swiveling carriers 58 representing an important feature of the present invention.

Considering the function of the downwardly converging central web 60 of the track 10, it centers the carriers 56 and 58 on the track 10 and prevents rubbing of the wheels 68 and 78 of the carriers against vertical web surfaces. With this construction, free movement of the wheels 68 and 78 along the track l without chattering is assured, this being another important feature of the invention.

As best shown in Figs. l and 6 of the drawings, two U-shaped, downwardly facing positioning clips 86 and 88 are placed over the track l0, the positioning clip 86 being in a location corresponding to the position of the lead post 26 when the door of the invention is closed, and the positioning clip 88 being in a location corresponding to the position of the lead post when the door is open. As best shown in Fig. 6, the spacing of the arms of each positioning clip 86 and 88 is less than the span of the tabs 74 on the carrier 56 so that these tabs engage the arms of the positioning clips 86 and 88 to limit movement of the lead post 26 and to thus define the closed and opened positions of the door. The widths of the carriers 58 on the intermediate hinge elements of the upper hinge element series 32 arevless than the spacings of the arms of the positioning clips 86 and 88 so that the carriers 58 can move past the positioning clips 86 and 88 freely without interference. These positioning clips and their cooperation with the carrier 56 on the lead post 26 represent another important feature of the invention.

Considering now the manner in which the anchor post 24 is secured to the vertical structure 14, each anchor clip 18, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, faces away from the supporting structure 14 and includes two arms 90 having outwardly facing, longitudinal or vertical ribs 92 thereon spaced from the base of the anchor clip. The anchor post 24 is provided with arms 94 having complementary, inwardly facing, vertical or longitudinal ribs 96 which are spaced from the base of the anchor post and which are insertable behind the ribs 92, i.e. between the ribs 92 and the vertical supporting structure 14. The anchor clips 18 are formed of spring material, such as spring steel, so that the arms 90 thereof may deect inwardly toward each other to permit the anchor post 24 to be snapped thereonto. It will be noted that edge portions 98 and 100 of the sheets 52 and 54 are inserted or tucked between the respective arms 90 on the anchor clips 18 and the respective arms 94 on the anchor post 24 to conceal such edge portions. With this construction, the securing means for the anchor post 24 and the edge portions of the sheets 52 and 54 are completely concealed by the anchor post itself to provide a neat, nished appearance, which is an important feature of the invention. Another important feature is the ease with which the anchor post 24 may be mounted with the securing means described.

Considering the manner in which the end hinge elements of the two hinge-element series 32 and 34 are connected to the anchor and lead posts 24 and 26, the pivotal connections between the end hinge elements and these posts are recessed into the posts so that the end hinge elements can lie flat against the posts when the door of the invention is in its open position, thereby minimizing the length of the door in its folded or stacked condition. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the anchor post 24 is provided therein with an u-pper recess 102 into which the end hinge element 36 projects. Within the recess 102 is a Vertical hinge pin 104 carried by tabs 106 on the anchor post 24, a tab 108 on the hinge element 36 being bent around the hinge pin 104 to pivotally connect the hinge element 36 to the anchor post 24 within the upper recess 102. The hinge element 36 is centered relative to the hinge pin 104 by spacers 110 thereon. As will be apparent from Fig. 3 of the drawings, this construction permits the hinge element 36 to lie flat against the anchor post 24 to minimize the folded length of the door, the hinge element 36 being bent at 112 to permit it to lie flat against the anchor post. The anchor post 24 is provided with a lower recess, not shown, therein into which the end hinge element, not shown, at the inner end of the lower hinge-element series 34 extends, this end hinge element being pivotally connected to the anchor post 24 in the same manner as the end hinge element 36 so that further illustration and further description are unnecessary.

The end hinge element 38 at the outer end of the upper hinge-element series 32 is connected to the lead post 26 by a pivotal connection recessed into the lead post in a similar manner. As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, recessed into the lead post 26 adjacent the upper end thereof is a vertical hinge pin 114 mounted on tabs 116 on the lead post. The end hinge element 38 is provided with a tab 118 bent around the hinge pin 114 in the same manner as the tab 108 of the end hinge'element 36 at the inner end of the upper hinge-element series 32.

Turning now to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the end hinge element 46 at the outer end of the lower hingeelement series 34 is provided with a tab bent around a vertical hinge pin 122 which is recessed into the lead post 26 and which extends through enlarged openings in tabs 124 on a member 126 disposed within and welded, or otherwise secured, to the lead post 26. Welded to the upper end of the hinge pin 122 is a washer 128 which rests .on the uppermost of the tabs 124, a wing nut 130 being provided at the lower end of the hinge pin 122 and being spaced from the lowermost of the tabs 124 by a spacer 132. With the hinge pin 12.2 recessed into the lead post 26 in the foregoing manner, the end hinge element 46 extends into the recess in the lead post so that such hinge element can lie flat against the lead post when the door is open, the hinge element 46 being bent at 134 to permit it to lie flat against lthe lead post.

Thus, it will be noted that the hinge pins for all of the end hinge elements of the two hinge-element series 32 and 34 are recessed into the anchor and lead posts 24 and 26, all of the end hinge elements being bent, as indicated at 112 and 134, to permit them to lie at against the anchor and lead posts when the door is in its folded condition. This minimizes the length of the door structure when folded, which is an important feature of the invention.

Considering another important feature of the invention, and referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, it will be noted that the hinge pin 122 is actually a lead screw threadedly connected to the tab on the end hinge element 46 and rotatable by the wing nut 130 due to the enlargement of the openings through the tabs 124, the wing nut being accessible through the open side of the channel delining the lead post 26. The hinge pin or lead screw 122 and the internally threaded tab 120 on the hinge element 46 constitute a vertical adjustment means for producing relative vertical movement between the lower hinge element series 34 and the lead post 26. As will be apparent, since the lead post 26 is supported by the carrier S6 and since the intermediate hinge elements of the upper hinge-element series 32 are supported by the carriers 58, rotationof the lead screw 122 can result only in upward or downward movement of the hinge element 46 of the lower hinge-element series 34 relative to the lead post 26. Such vertical adjustment of the hinge element 46 relative to the lead post 26 results in moving the lower end of the lead post toward or away from the sealing channel 20, whereby the lead screw 122 constitutes an adjustment means for bringing the lead post into substantial parallelism with the sealing channel 20 so that there will be no gap at either the upper end of the'lead post, or the lower end thereof; Thus, the adjustment means provided by the lead screw 122 constitutes a means for distorting the framework of the folding door structure to align the lead post with the sealing channel 20, despite irregularities in building construction which may result in non-parallelism of the vertical supporting structures 14 and 16, or in angles between the overhead supporting structure 12 and the vertical supporting structures 14 and 16 other than 90 degrees. Consequently, the lead screw 122 constitutes a means for adjusting the shape of the folding door structure to the shape of the locale in which it is to be used, which is an important feature of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawings, the lead post 26 is provided on opposite sides thereof with handles 138, these handles being smooth, vertically oriented handles of generally triangular cross section having a side 140 parallel to the lead post, a side 142 perpendicular to the lead post and spaced from the edge of the door dened by the sealing strip 28 to provide a convenient fingergrip, and a slightly rounded hypotenuse 144. Each handle 138 includes a fixed section or portion 146 and a movable section 148 which is connected to the latch 30 to operate same. It will be noted that the handles 138 are attached to the lead post 26 with no visible attaching means.

Although we have disclosed an exemplary embodiment of our invention herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in this embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as definedz by the claims hereinafter appearing.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a folding door frame, the combination of: a post having vertically spaced recesses therein; generally horizontal, vertically spaced, upper and lower series of hinge elements, the hinge elements of each of said series being positioned in end-to-end relation, one of the end hinge elements in said upper series extending into the upper recess in said post, and one of the end hinge elements in said lower series extending into the lower recess in said post; vertical pivots pivotally interconnecting the hinge elements of said upper series; vertical pivots pivotally interconnecting the hinge elements of said lower series; and vertical pivot means respectively disposed within said recesses and respectively pivotally connecting said one end hinge elements of said upper and lower series to said post, each of said pivot means including a vertical pivot pin mounted within said post, said one end hinge elements of said upper and lower series being connected to said pins, respectively, and being bent along vertical lines so as to lie at against said post when said upper and lower series of hinge elements are folded.

2. In a folding door, the combination of: a generally horizontal track; a folding structure below said track; wheeled carriers mounted on said folding structure and engaging said track; and a positioning clip adjustably mounted on said track and engageable by one of said carriers to limit movement of said one carrier along said track, said positioning clip being provided with arms spaced apart transversely of said track and said one carrier being provided thereon with tabs engageable with said arms, the widths of the others of said carriers being less than the spacing of said arms.

3. In a folding door frame, the combination of: a post; two vertically spaced, generally horizontal series of pivotally interconnected hinge elements, said hinge elements of each of said series vbeing pivotable relative to each other about generally vertical axes; a generally vertical pivot means pivotally interconnecting one of the end hinge elements of one of said series and said post; and another generally vertical pivot means pivotally interconnecting a portion of one of the end hinge elements of the other of said series and a portion of said post, said other pivot means comprising a generally vertical screw threadedly engaging one of said portions and rotatable relative to the other of said portions, and said other pivot means comprising interengageable stop means on said screw and said other portion for locking said screw and said other portion together with respect to relative movement thereof along the axis of said screw, thereby providing relative vertical movement of said post and said one end hinge element of said other series upon rotation of said screw about its axis.

4. In a folding door frame mountable on a supporting structure, the combination of: upper and lower, generally horizontal series of hinge elements, said hinge elements of each of said series being positioned in end-to-end relation; generally vertical rods each pivotally interconnecting two of said hinge elements of said upper series at its upper end and two of said hinge elements of said lower series at its lower end, the upper end of each of said rods being rigidly connected to one of said hinge elements of said upper series and the lower end thereof being rigidly connected to a corresponding one of said hinge elements of said lower series; an anchor post; means for mounting said anchor post on the supporting structure; an upper generally vertical pivot means pivotally interconnecting one of the end hinge elements of said upper series and said anchor post; a lower generally vertical pivot means pivotally interconnecting one of the end hinge elements of said lower series and said anchor post; a lead post; another upper generally vertical pivot means pivotally interconnecting the other of the end hinge elements of said upper series and said lead post; and another lower generally vertical pivot means pivotally interconnecting a portion of the other of the end hinge elements of said lower series and a portion of said lead post, said other lower pivot means including a generally vertical screw threadedly engaging one of said portions and rotatable relative to the other of said portions, and said other lower pivot means comprising interengageable stop means on said screw and said other portion for locking said screw and said other portion together with respect to relative movement thereof along the axis of said screw, thereby providing relative vertical movement of said lead post and said other end hinge element of said lower series upon rotation of said screw about its axis.

5. A folding door frame as set forth in claim 3 wherein said post is provided with two vertically spaced recesses therein, the first-recited pivot means comprising a generally vertical pivot pin disposed within said post in one of said recesses, and said screw being disposed within said post in the other of said recesses.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,622 Planeaux Feb. 24, 1953 1,217,398 Bonnell Feb. 27, 1917 1,878,073 Vansant Sept. 20, 1932 2,068,674 Harvey Ian. 26, 1937 2,597,174 Patton et al. May 20, 1952 2,649,150 Hoke et al. Aug. 18, 1953 2,717,033 Breslow et al. Sept. 6, 1955 2,725,934 Carr Dec. 6, 1955 2,732,894 Harris Jan. 31, 1956 2,790,491 Auerhaan Apr. 30, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 420,075 Great Britain Nov. 26, 1934 424,922 Great Britain Mar. 4, 1935 876,619 France Aug. 10, 1942 

